Deputy Superintendent Rick Lankford retiring in September

After nearly two years in charge of the School District's curriculum, Deputy Superintendent of Schools Rick Lankford is set to retire on Sept. 26.

By Joe CallahanStaff writer

After nearly two years in charge of Marion County School District’s curriculum, Deputy Superintendent of Schools Rick Lankford is set to retire Sept. 26.

Lankford entered into the state’s five-year Deferred Retirement Option Program — known as DROP — in spring 2010, which meant he must officially retire by March 31, 2015.

Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn and Lankford agreed on a Sept. 26 retirement date.

“We will be finished with the (2014-15) budget by then,” and the district will have completed tweaking class sizes for the school year, Tomyn said.

They agreed that fall was a better exit strategy than spring. Lankford, 61, said retiring in March would be awful timing. That’s when the deputy superintendent will be working on the 2015-16 staffing and budget plans.

He said it makes better sense for the new deputy superintendent to begin in the fall and start that staffing and budgeting process from beginning to end.

Lankford was named deputy superintendent of curriculum in November 2012, weeks after Tomyn was elected. Tomyn and Lankford have known each other since 1977, when they were both teachers at Lake Weir High School.

Before Lankford was named deputy superintendent he was the principal at Vanguard High.

“I did make it into my 40th year (in education) and I am thankful for my years I served as principal and getting a chance to see it from the administrative side,” he said.

Tomyn said he knew Lankford would only have about two years as a deputy superintendent, but he wanted his expertise as long as he could.

“He has served us well,” Tomyn said.

Lankford will be replaced by Lisa Krysalka, the district’s current executive director of human resources. Krysalka was the Belleview Middle School principal tapped to take over human resources in November 2012 when Tomyn was elected.

“It should be a seamless transition,” Tomyn said.

In her new role, the 31-year veteran will oversee all student curriculum and instructional practices for teachers. The position is considered second to the superintendent and often involves budgeting, negotiations, staffing plans, student assignments and other key academic responsibilities, according to school district spokesman Kevin Christian.

Krysalka started with the district as a Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary teacher in 1983.

She also taught at South Ocala Elementary and Lake Weir Middle. In 1994, she became assistant principal at Belleview Middle. Eleven years later, she became principal at that same school.

Krysalka earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Florida and a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Southern Illinois University.

Replacing Krysalka will be Jaycee Oliver, who was recently promoted from Madison Street Academy principal to supervisor of employment services.

A 22-year district veteran, Oliver will maintain her current responsibilities while moving into the executive director of human resources position.

Oliver’s background includes teaching at Dr. N.H. Jones and serving as assistant principal at Dr. N.H. Jones and Belleview-Santos elementary schools. She also served as principal at Emerald Shores Elementary and Madison Street Academy.

Tomyn said Oliver will be a good fit to take over as executive director of human resources.

The salary range for deputy superintendent is roughly $96,000 to $109,00, and the range for executive director is roughly $88,000 to $99,000.

Lankford started with the district in 1975 as a teacher at Lake Weir High. He left the district briefly but came back in 1978 as a math and science teacher at the same school.

In 1994, Lankford became assistant principal at Shady Hill Elementary. Later that same year, he was appointed assistant principal at Forest High, where he served as Tomyn’s assistant principal of curriculum.

After 11 years in that role, Lankford became principal at Forest and two years later at Vanguard.

Lankford earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Nova University and a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Central Florida.

Lankford said friends who had entered DROP told him that the final five years would go by fast — and they did.

Only employees eligible the Florida Retirement System Pension Plan can enter DROP. Under this program, employees stop earning service time and their retirement benefits are calculated at the time the DROP period begins.

Monthly retirement benefits then accumulate in a trust fund earning interest while they work the last five years. Upon retirement, the entire DROP account is paid in one lump sum and then the employee begins receiving his or her monthly retirement checks.